KOLKATA: Disgruntled with the recent rejig in the state BJP hierarchy, Union minister-cum- Matua community leader Shantanu Thakur alleged that a section of leaders in the West Bengal BJP is “selling” the party to another political outfit.
He, after a meeting with the dissident leaders of the party on Saturday, also expressed displeasure for “axing those who took the saffron camp’s vote share from 2% to around 40%” from the hierarchy. Without naming the ruling Trinamool Congress, Thakur, a representative of the Hindu religious sect Matua, comprising refugees from Bangladesh, said:
“A section of leaders is selling the BJP to another political party. Those who worked hard and elevated the party’s electoral stake to around 40% from 2% were axed from the posts of office-bearers. Why?” The meeting comprised many former members of the BJP’s Bengal hierarchy, including former vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar and former general secretaries Sayantan Basu and Sanjay Singh, who were axed in the recent rejig, was held at the guest house of Kolkata Port Trust on Saturday.
Two MLAs from the Matua community were also present at the meeting. BJP leaders from the Matua community had recently expressed displeasure as no one from the sect was given a berth in the state committee and they alleged the party high command had made promises ahead of the recent elections to secure the support of the refugees from Bangladesh.